Airflow grid structure for air distribution through metal lath and plaster ceilings



Nov. 14, 1967 T- J. JONES 3,352,076

AIRFLOW GRID STRUCTURE FOR AIR DISTRIBUTION THROUGH METAL LATH AND PLASTER CEILINGS Filed Jan. 18, 1966 INVENTOR Thomas J. Jones United States Patent ()fiice 3,352,076 Patented Nov. 14, 1967 3,352,076 AIRFLOW GRID STRUCTURE FOR AIR DISTRIBU- TION THROUGH METAL LATH AND PLASTER CEILINGS Thomas J. Jones, Wheeling, W. Va., assignor to Wheeling Steel Corporation, Wheeling, W. Va., a corporation of Delaware Filed Jan. 18, 1966, Ser. No. 521,380 6 Claims. (Cl. 52-303) This invention relates to an airflow grid structure for air distribution through metal lath and plaster ceilings and is in the nature of an improvement over the invention of copending application Ser. No. 493,026, filed Oct. 5, 1965. It adapts metal lath and plaster ceilings for the distribution of conditioned air with air flow characteristics comparable to those of specialized ceiling structures but at materially less cost.

Said copending application discloses a unitary airflow grid structure comprising spaced apart parallel upright legs with a horizontal wing extending from the top of each leg in a direction away from the other leg, each wing having a foraminous portion, and a portion spanning the space between the legs and having airflow openings therethrough. One such structure or unit is adapted to be disposed between the sheets of each pair of adjacent sheets of metal lath in the ceiling, normally roughly 28" on centers.

My airflow grid structure is functionally equivalent to that of said copending application but has important advantages thereover in that it may be formed with conventional equipment whereas the structure of said copending application requires expensive special equipment for its formation. My airflow grid structure comprises opposed separate members each having an upright leg and a horizontal wing extending from the top of the leg, the legs being spaced apart and substantially parallel and each Wing extending in the direction away from the opposed member, each wing having a foraminous portion for attachment to a sheet of expanded metal lath, and a portion spanning the space between the legs and having airflow openings therethrough. Preferably the portion spanning the space between the legs is separate from both members. Such portion desirably has a central part extending downwardly between the legs and parts overlying the respective legs. The central part may have a tight frictional fit between the legs or it may be otherwise fastened thereto.

The foraminous portion of each wing may be and preferably is of expanded metal. Each leg preferably has at its lower extremity a foot extending in the direction away from the other leg serving as a screed and plaster stop. Desirably each wing has a portion adjacent the leg of imperforate metal and a portion relatively remote from the leg of expanded metal, the second mentioned portion constituting a continuation of the first mentioned portion.

Closure means are provided for closing selected airflow openings in the portion spanning the space between the legs.

Other details, objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent as the following description of a present preferred embodiment thereof proceeds.

In the accompanying drawings I have shown a present preferred embodiment of the invention in which:

FIGURE 1 is an isometric view of a portion of a metal lath and plaster ceiling employing my invention;

FIGURE 2 is a cross-sectional view of my airflow grid structure taken on the line 11-11 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is an inverted fragmentary isometric View of the central part of my airflow grid structure; and

FIGURE 4 is an inverted isometric view of a plug for closing an airflow opening in my grid structure.

As indicated above, said copending application discloses a unitary airflow grid structure which while desirably effective in use requires for its formation expensive forming equipment which adversely affects its cost. I have discovered that the same results can be achieved in use of the structure with great saving in cost by forming the structure of separate members adapted to be assembled to form the composite unit.

To show how my airflow grid structure may be employed in a ceiling I have illustrated in FIGURE 1 a pair of parallel horizontal supporting beams 2 to which my airflow grid structure may be attached by wiring or otherwise.

My airflow grid structure comprises opposed separate members 3 each having an upright leg 4 and a horizontal wing 5 extending from the top of the leg. The legs 4 are spaced apart and substantially parallel and each wing 5 extends in the direction away from the opposed member. Each wing 5 has a portion 6 adjacent the leg 4 of imperforate metal and a portion 7 relatively remote from the leg of foraminous metal, shown as being expanded metal, the portion 7 constituting a continuation of the portion 6. The portion 7 is for attachment to a sheet of expanded metal lath. I have shown sheets 8 of expanded metal lath which are supported by the beams 2 and form a portion of the ceiling. in conventional manner. The portions 7 of the wings 5 may be wired to the sheets 8 and may either overlie or underlie the sheets 8. In the form shown in the drawings the wings 5 overlie the sheets 8.

Each leg 4 has at its lower extremity a foot 9 extending in the direction away from the other leg serving as a screed and plaster stop.

My airflow grid structure has a portion designated generally by reference numeral 10 spanning the space between the legs 4 and having airflow openings 11 therethrough. Desirably the portion 10 is separate from both of the opposed members of my airflow grid structure. The portion 10 has a central part 12 extending downwardly between the legs 4 and parts 13 overlying the respective legs. The central part 12 may have a right frictional fit between the legs 4 or may be otherwise fastened thereto. The airflow openings 11 are shown as being in the central part 12.

FIGURE 1 shows plaster 14 applied to the ceiling, my grid structure providing for air distribution through the ceiling. The plaster is discontinuous at my airflow grid structure so that air may flow through the openings 11. Selected openings 11 are closed by conformably shaped plugs 15 as shown in FIGURE 4.

The elements of my airflow grid structure may be economically formed, utilizing conventional equipment, and my structure has the further advantage that the individual elements are relatively light in weight as compared with the unitary structure disclosed in said copending application and hence are much easier to handle and erect. The lath and my grid structure are normally supported from the overhead beams by being wired thereto as known to those skilled in the art but other means of attachment may be employed without impairment of the functional advantages of the structure.

While I have shown and described a present preferred embodiment of the invention it is to be distinctly understood that the invention is not limited thereto but may be otherwise variously embodied within the scope of the following claims.

Iclaim:

1. An airflow grid structure in a plaster ceiling comprising opposed separate members each having an upright leg and a horizontal Wing extending from the top of the leg, the legs being spaced apart and substantially parallel and each wing extending in the direction away From the opposed member, each wing having a foramilous'po'rtion attached'to a sheet of expanded metal lath n said plaster ceiling, and a separate element spanning be space between the legs and having airflow openings ,herethrough.

2. Airflow grid structure as claimed in claim 1 in wvhich'the portion spanning the space between the legs has a central part extending downwardly between the legs ind parts overlying the respective legs.

3. Airflow grid structure as claimed in claim 2 in which :he central part has a tight frictional fit between the legs.

4. Airflow grid structure as claimed in claim 1 in which the foraminous' portion of each wing is of expanded metal.'

5. Airflow grid structure as claimed in claim 1 in which each'leg has at its lower extremity a foot extending in the direction away from the other leg serving as a screed and plaster stop. I i

6. Airflow grid structure as claimed in claim 1 with closure means closing selected airflow openings in the portion spanning the space between the legs.

References Cited H p UNITED STATES PATENTS JOHN E. MURTAGH, Primary'Examiner." 

1. AN AIRFLOW GRID STRUCTURE IN A PLASTER CEILING COMPRISING OPPOSED SEPARATE MEMBRS EACH HAVING AN UPRIGHT LEG AND A HORIZONTAL WING EXTENDING FROM THE TOP OF THE LEG, THE LEGS BEING SPACED APART AND SUBSTANTIALLY PARALLEL AND EACH WING EXTENDING IN THE DIRECTION AWAY FROM THE OPPOSED MEMBER, EACH WING HAVING A FORAMINOUS PORTION ATTACHED TO A SHEET OF EXPANDABLE METAL LATH IN SAID PLASTER CEILING, AND A SEPARATE ELEMENT SPANNING THE SPACE BETWEEN THE LEGS AND HAVING AIRFLOW OPENINGS THERETHROUGH. 